Investments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2012

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Schedule of Investments [Text Block]

Investments as of August 31, 2012 and 2011 are as follows:

	2012		2011
	(Dollars in thousands)
Joint ventures:
Ventura Foods, LLC	$	292,393	$	278,865
Horizon Milling, LLC	78,372		79,770
TEMCO, LLC	60,734		47,337
Horizon Milling G.P.	16,727		20,445
Cooperatives:
Land O’Lakes, Inc.	58,382		53,147
Ag Processing Inc.	19,577		17,876
Other	147,203		98,539
	$	673,388	$	595,979

Ventura Foods, LLC

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments

The following provides summarized unaudited financial information for Ventura Foods balance sheets as of August 31, 2012 and 2011, and statements of operations for the twelve months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

	2012		2011
	(Dollars in thousands)
Current assets	$	574,925	$	585,760
Non-current assets	459,070		464,621
Current liabilities	197,251		227,199
Non-current liabilities	277,760		292,368

	2012		2011		2010
	(Dollars in thousands)
Net sales	$	2,550,018	$	2,350,895	$	1,954,289
Gross profit	244,969		255,748		259,388
Net earnings	94,586		105,754		95,480
Earnings attributable to CHS Inc.	47,293		52,877		47,740

Major equity investments excluding Ventura Foods [Member]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments

The following provides combined financial information for the Company’s major equity investments, excluding Ventura Foods, for balance sheets as of August 31, 2012 and 2011, and statements of operations for the twelve months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

	2012		2011
	(Dollars in thousands)
Current assets	$	631,335	$	595,862
Non-current assets	158,675		130,464
Current liabilities	352,016		316,066
Non-current liabilities	5,642		4,922

	2012		2011		2010
	(Dollars in thousands)
Net sales	$	5,402,241	$	8,399,779	$	7,212,848
Gross profit	225,680		406,338		356,708
Net earnings	121,107		232,473		150,798
Earnings attributable to CHS Inc.	36,032		89,575		50,731